Psalm Chapter 86 

(Unless otherwise cited all scriptures in this post are from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible.)

The context for Psalms Chapter 86

Psalm 86 is an individual lament. He needs help from his oppressors. The vocabulary of the psalm can be found in several psalms and laments. Although the psalmist requires God’s helping hand, he still exhibits faith in God’s compassion, strength, and willingness to help his people.

I am poor and needy

1 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.  We know that David was not a poor man in finances, so maybe this is speaking of him being poor in spirit, or humble.  He declares his desperate need for God. ² Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.Here David, the author of this psalm, acknowledges not that he is perfect, but that he has faithfully kept God’s law..

³ Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. 

Brethren, can we say this? We are in the middle of a pandemic. Something deadly is happening in every country on planet earth. Are we calling out to God every day, and several times in a day like King David (Psalm 55:17)? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 reminds us to “pray without ceasing.” Christ did in when he was here on earth (Luke 6:12). Longman notes, “The psalmist is not only poor and needy but also faithful, a word ( ḥ āsîd ) that is related to the noun for ‘unfailing love’ ( ḥ esed ) which denotes loyalty” (Longman 317).

⁴ Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  True rejoicing comes from our innermost being. That is what David is expressing here. ⁵ For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.  God is good to all,because he loves all of humanity and good to his own special people in a way of grace- Christ iterated just that Matt. 19:17 “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”  Today we certainly know the truth that is encased in Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  ⁶ Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.  God hears our vocalizations. According to the apostle’s rule (see Phil. 4:6), these were vocal prayers, and not mere mental ones.. Heb. 5:7 tells us “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;” ⁷ In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. God is the only one who will hear and answer his people. he idols of the Gentiles could not do so. Baal could not answer his priests (1 Kings 18:26). He used Israel’s history to prove that. Christ confirmed that God always heard and answered prayer (John 11:41).

Eventually, all nations on earth will worship you.

⁸ Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. ⁹ All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

There is a time when all the nations of the world will worship the Lord (Rev. 15:4). Eventually, people of every nation will bow down and worship God whether they want to or not. 

Romans 14:11 “For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”  Philippians 2:10-11 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth and [things] under the earth;” “And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Hebrews 9:12-15  Salvation is not found in Buddha or any other god. Not even in people who are living today and who declare that they are powerful spiritual forces for good.

Teach me, Dear Father, and I WILL praise you.

¹¹ Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. David is saying I do not want to have a heart that listens to the flesh. I want my heart focused upon the Lord. The Holy Spirit of God is the Teacher that teaches us all things and keeps us focused on God instead of ourselves. Having recognized that God is the only one who my heart and mind should be focused, it is easier for me to praise only him. David said,

¹² I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name forevermore.  ¹³ For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. 

Now he goes back to the lament and prayer of deliverance. However, he goes back in confidence. He tells God what is happening to him.

¹⁴ O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.

Now he pleads his cause by asking God to..

Have mercy on me, Dear Father

¹⁵ But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.  David accepts the fact that he is not perfect. On the other hand, he also knows, just like Peter, that God is

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 

¹⁶ O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.  In the New Testament Paul declares “Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” David believed that to.

¹⁷ Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: “Token”: Is a  request for a favorable indication that would demonstrate that God was indeed on David’s side. Today we ask God for favor in the eyes of people who have what it takes to make something happen for ministries. But David and pastors are not asking for favor for themselves to make themselves famous. They are asking for it, so the heathen will know that they are protected by God. And they will know this when “because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.” During the most trying times in our lives, we can look to God to deliver us.